


To Lose Susanna

by Lady_Arrowwood, RadiantSeraphina (Lady_Arrowwood)



Series: Deus ex Machina [1]
Category: Kirby (Video Games), Kirby - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Freudian Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-16 11:15:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7265923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Arrowwood/pseuds/Lady_Arrowwood, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Arrowwood/pseuds/RadiantSeraphina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Susanna would've never broken such a strong and courageous knight, but she was Susie--not Susanna.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Lose Susanna

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers, naturally. It's also based upon a certain theory I found on TvTropes, so I hope I incorporated that well. Or at least, implied it? Anyway, enjoy!

Susanna Patrya Haltmann would’ve fallen over herself in delight. She’d always been fascinated with knights. Susie couldn’t recall precisely where the interest began; it seemed to have always been there. Of course, Susanna hadn’t wanted just _any_ knights. She’d known that most knights were not like the ones in her storybooks. Most were monsters that wore armor and abused their power whenever it suited them. They spent their days shining armor that would never see battle and letting others fight for them. But this one was brave and good, glorious even. He could've stepped out of Susanna's fairy tale. The noble knight fending off the dark invaders in his beloved kingdom.

 

He made for the Access Ark, leaving a swath of destruction behind him, his golden sword shining like a thing of legend. The knight had failed, of course. It’d been through a bit of trickery—sedatives filtered through the pipes and into the air. He recovered quickly, though. They’d barely managed to secure the knight to a table, before he woke, thrashing and fighting.

 

Susanna would’ve never allowed that. She’d have pitied the poor creature strapped onto the table. A researcher drilled a hole into the knight’s side, drawing out samples. He hadn’t screamed—not then. He’d stared at the floor and silently endured.  Susie would’ve rushed to Haltmann and pleaded for that knight’s freedom. She’d have tenderly dabbed the blood and grime away from the knight and murmured heartfelt, comforting words.

 

But then, Susanna would’ve never let Haltmann go so far without protest. She’d have never let him invade Popstar, destroying the home of such peaceful creatures. She’d have never conspired with the Mother Computer to turn the knight into a weapon for mass-production.

 

But she was Susie. Not Susanna.

 

Coffee in hand, Susie strode into the room. The knight’s armor and gloves had been removed, revealing a much less imposing creature. Susie had approved and watched that happen. Then, things became strange. Attempts to remove the knight’s cape had resulted in hands disappearing into another dimension. One researcher had dropped a pen into the cape and watched it vanish into a swirl of stars. Even more strangely, the cape couldn’t actually be removed, regardless of how hard they tugged. There were no wings, even though _everyone_ had seen them on the monitors. Efforts to unsheathe the knight’s sword resulted in it bursting into flames, scorching the table, burning three researchers, and leaving the knight completely unharmed, even though it’d burned the space beneath and around him. It’d been dropped and warily retrieved later with a robotic claw.

 

Next, they’d sliced the knight’s back open, trying to pull out his wings, which served only to anger the creature. There were still no wings, when the research team went to lunch and left the knight be. The creature panted and twisted, trying futilely to free itself. It must've not noticed her presence yet, so devoted to its escape efforts. Susie took a sip of coffee. “Are you enjoying your stay, Sir Knight?” she asked.

 

The knight became still. His eyes were milky white; the Mother Computer had cited it as corneal scarring from an old injury. It’d been one of the few things the Mother Computer had been able to assess quickly. The knight’s species and his dimensional technology were still a mystery. “Oh, how rude of me! I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Susie, Haltmann Works’ lovely secretary,” she said, flipping her hair.

 

“Meta Knight, charmed.”

 

The knight offered nothing else. Susie moved closer, observing. “I’ll admit that I didn’t expect you to have such a cute face,” she said. “I was expecting something more impressive.”

 

“Let me up, and I’ll show you how impressive I am.”

 

“Oh, I don’t question your fighting prowess. You’re quite strong. That’s why we’re going to mass manufacture an entire line of military weaponry based on you! Isn’t that exciting?”

 

“I wish you luck with that. Some things can’t be copied.”

 

He was right. “Nevertheless, I’m sure we’ll manage a close approximation.”

 

“Wonderful,” he deadpanned.

 

He was certainly full of fire, wasn't he? Not for long, of course, but that was...satisfying, in a way. Susanna, the hopeless romantic, would've called it heroism.

 

“My, you’re feeling especially quick-witted, aren’t you? I’m so pleased. I’d worried that all your strength and confidence would vanish the moment danger appeared,” Susie said. “It’s so difficult to find a genuine knight these days.”

 

Susanna would’ve clapped her hands together in delight and had a thousand questions about the chivalric code. Susie didn’t care about that. Meta Knight was strong and brave. Admirable, really. A pity that they’d have to destroy his will in the process, but some sacrifices were worth making. Especially if it was a sacrifice that would’ve appalled Susanna.

 

* * *

 

 

They still couldn’t find his wings. Since pain and drugs both failed, Susie decided to resort to trickery. Knights served lieges, and while most kingdoms had large and intricate courts, Dreamland had only one person that might be Meta Knight’s master. And conveniently, they’d already cloned him.

 

The cloned Dedede entered first, carefully and slowly. Susie hung back, watching it play out. If Meta Knight wanted to be so chivalric and noble, she’d let him be, and she'd punish him for it.

 

“Meta Knight?” Dedede asked.

 

The knight tensed and shifted, unable to look behind him and trying anyway. “My Lord?”

 

Dedede waddled over to the creature’s front and stared at him for a long second. But what was that expression? Fascination? Recognition? The clone met her gaze, seeking approval. There was a plan, and he knew it. “I think I remember you,” Dedede said.

 

He gently petted the knight’s head. The gesture was too familiar to be an act; something was _there_. “Dedede,” Meta Knight said. “You must—do you remember Bandanna Dee? Kirby? Dreamland?”

 

Susie filed the names away for further investigation, before taking her part. “Get away from him!” she ordered.

 

Dedede flinched, but he didn’t move away. Instead, his purple eyes remained fixed on Meta Knight. “But he’s—”

 

“Away from him. Now, Dedede.”

 

Finally, he stepped back. Better. Susie approached and leaned her head close to Meta Knight’s. “He’s already under my power,” she whispered, “So I’ve no reason to hurt him. Unless, of course, _you_ refuse to cooperate. He wasn’t as difficult as you are, so I’ll offer you a choice. Either you can release your wings, or I’ll do everything to him that I’ve done to you.”

 

The knight didn’t even glance at her. His focus remained solely on the figure before him. He probably suspected a trap. Was he willing to risk it, though? Meta Knight’s cape shimmered and transformed. His wings unfurled slowly and reluctantly. Apparently not. Susie motioned, and the claws grabbed his wings and pulled them tight. “He’s not even your Dedede,” she said.

 

“You tricked me.”

 

“I needed you to release your wings somehow. I knew you wouldn’t let me punish your beloved king for your defiance. Such a loyal thing you are.”

 

The air suddenly came to life and roared through the room. Panicked engineers and geneticists shouted, trying to duck and avoid the sudden burst of flying debris. It wouldn’t last long. Meta Knight couldn’t maintain that power for long, especially with the abuse of the past few days weighing on him. Susie grappled with the remote in her hand. The knight cried out, and abruptly the wind died, surgical instruments, papers, and beakers falling in a symphony of crashing and breaking.

 

The metal claws had lifted the creature off the table and spread its wings further apart. Meta Knight trembled and fought, pawing futilely at the air. Susie pressed the button again and forced him back onto the table with a painful-sounding thump. “That’ll be all, Dedede,” she said. “Good job.”

 

Dedede nodded and gave the knight a final, long look, before he shuffled away. Meta Knight made a strange noise from the back of his throat and tried to free himself. Susie lazily trailed a hand along the membrane of his right wing, thrilled when the knight shied away.  The wounds on his back reopened, dripping blood onto the table. “Why would you hide such beautiful wings?” Susie asked innocently.

 

Instead of answering her, Meta Knight tilted his head to keep the clone in view. “My liege—”

 

Susie sighed and shook her head in mock disappointment. “That’s not your king, Meta Knight. I thought you’d understand that. He’s a clone made from the king’s cells. Just a little something we’re working on.”

 

“But does he have the same…the same heart?” Meta Knight asked, clearly struggling to speak.

 

“No,” Susie replied. “Unfortunately, our clones are still imperfect. We’ve yet to copy souls.”

 

Memories were another matter entirely, which was why that clone would _never_ see Meta Knight again. There’d been _something_ , whether a concrete memory or not; Susie was uncertain. It wasn’t worth the risk, though. Meta Knight still gazed longingly at the door. Annoyed, Susie trailed her hand over his wing again, drawing a glare.

 

“Your wings have potential. Maybe I’ll let you keep them.” Susie patted his cheek. “I’d like to stay and watch, but unfortunately, I have errands to run. I do hope you enjoy yourself, Sir Knight.”

 

She strode away, aware that his gaze was firmly on her. Susanna would’ve never imagined such cruelty. Susanna was weak. A doormat. She wasn’t Susanna. She was Susie, and Susie was stronger and better. And while Susanna would’ve doted upon that knight like some excited little girl, Susie never would. She’d shatter him to pieces and destroy any lingering remnant of Susanna.

 

* * *

 

When Susie arrived to survey the progress, she was quite pleased. All that was left was the modifications to Meta Knight’s mask and the neuro-nanobots that would be used to subdue him. He’d be ready for battle, then, and easily victorious over the pink native. And any _other_ natives that might rebel, since the bodies of King Dedede and Meta Knight's crew had yet to be found. The king was likely dead, and the crew was probably in shambles without their captain. Still, any risk was a risk too much. Pinky had shown them that.

 

Meta Knight and the pink thing were clearly the same species, but precisely _what_ that species was remained uncertain. The Mother Computer defined them as a sort of sentient space phenomenon, a sort of reality warper. Cloning the creatures was impossible; machine duplicates could be modified to closely resemble them, but that was the extent of their technology. And that was just _Meta Knight_. His sword technique and powers would be copied, but the cape couldn’t. The sword’s strange recognition technology couldn’t. And the pink thing would doubtlessly be even more complicated to duplicate. But they had to figure it out. There were infinite possibilities for utilizing the pink thing, if they could unlock the secret to its adaptability.

 

However, those were tasks for another day. The Mother Computer _had_ recovered something; it knew some of Meta Knight’s history. Mere snippets of eighty-five-thousand years’ worth of memories and actions. Susie didn’t care about the longevity of it, though; she cared only for one small piece.

 

She approached Meta Knight and patted the blue metal on his wings. He scowled. His eyes were bright gold. “Oh, are you sore there?” she asked.

 

Of course, he was. The engineering team had drilled holes in his wings and screwed the metal on. It wasn’t an elegant solution, but it was an effective one. More importantly, it prevented Meta Knight from hiding his wings again. “Sorry, Sir Knight,” Susie said. “I’ll leave you, if you’re feeling so bitter. Although…I’d be bitter, too, if my invasion of Dreamland had failed.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“You tried to conquer Dreamland, didn’t you?” she asked, annoyed that he hadn’t seemed surprised in the slightest.

 

“I did, but I greatly suspect my motives were far nobler than yours.”

 

“You did the exact same thing we’re doing, yet you insist that you have the higher moral ground.”

 

“I do have the higher moral ground,” he replied. “I tried to conquer Dreamland to save them, and—and I did fail. I was wrong, and I made a mistake. But I never exhibited the depravity and cruelty that you have. I never created monsters. The things you’ve done to the poor waddle dees—”

 

“It’s their own fault. They’re stupid creatures.”

 

The knight’s gaze seemed to darken. “Oh, are you friends with a few?” Susie asked. “That’s right! You had one in your crew, didn’t you? There was evidence of him in your battleship. Is he the one that made the adorable stack of crayon drawings you keep in your quarters?”

 

“You searched my ship?”

 

“Oh, yes. We’d hoped to use it for something, but it was too damaged to be bothered with. If it’s any consolation, we might consider using it for scrap metal. And don’t worry about your crew. If we find them, we’ll bring them in for you. It’ll be such a charming—”

 

“I’m curious. Souls can’t be copied. Does that mean you don’t _have_ one, or does it mean your soul doesn’t match hers?”

 

Susie froze. She should’ve guessed that he’d figure it out. He was a clever creature, wasn’t he? “I’ll see that you break every vow you’ve ever made, Sir Meta Knight,” she said evenly. “Perhaps, that will answer your question.”

  

* * *

 

 

The pink thing had a sword. How sweet. Susie watched the native’s face, as she revealed Mecha Knight, the machine created by the Mother Computer. The native’s curious gaze became horrified, and the pink thing nearly dropped its sword. Suddenly, the horror gave way to anger. The pink thing glared and pointed his blade at her. “You hurt my friend!” he shouted.

 

 _Friend_?

 

Mecha Knight engaged and swooped through the air, causing the pink thing to dart away. “Meta Knight! Meta Knight, it’s me!”

 

Susie was no swordsman, and it was difficult to determine who was winning. The pink thing was skilled, though; he was holding his own. There were blows exchanged, and soon, the native stopped calling for Meta Knight. Slash, parry, evade. It was going well, but it was taking far too long. Susie activated Mecha Knight’s second mode. If the pink thing couldn’t be bested with a blade, he’d be crushed beneath debris and falling metal.

 

And then, Mecha Knight reached his limits. No, that was impossible. Susie stared in disbelief. It was just a pause, a glitch. Mecha Knight would rise and destroy that defiant pink-thing, and—

 

The native ran to Mecha Knight and placed its paw on the knight’s mask. “Meta Knight? It’s me. It’s Kirby! Please, please, remember—”

 

Sparks, crackling, and desperate, child-like cries.

 

Something must’ve short-circuited. The knight was modified by the Mother Computer. He shouldn’t have lost. He wouldn’t lose again.

  

* * *

 

 

By the time Susie arrived with the updated plans, Meta Knight was already strapped down with half-destroyed armor. It looked worse than when Susie had last seen it. Blood streaked across the dull, blue metal; the knight had evidently tried to free his wings. If he’d managed that, he might’ve been able to escape with his dimensional powers. “Good morning,” Susie said. “I trust you slept well.”

 

He glared at her. “So you’re friends with the other native?” Susie asked. “Why don’t you tell me about Pinky?

 

“If your Mother Computer was as good as you thought, you’d already know,” Meta Knight replied. “ _Surely_ , you’ve heard of the great hero of Popstar?”

 

“I don’t appreciate being mocked,” Susie replied.

 

“Misery loves company.”

 

“Let me tell you a story,” Susie said, clapping her hands together. “Once, there was this sweet, little girl named Susanna, and her father loved her very much. But one day, there was a terrible accident.”

 

Susie shook her head and held her hands out in mock despair. “It was truly dreadful. And this sweet, little girl died. Her father grieved, of course. He couldn’t bear being without her, but then, he had a thought. He had the technology to clone. Surely, he could bring back his beloved daughter, couldn’t he?”

 

“So he created you,” Meta Knight said flatly.

 

Susie smothered a flash of irritation. “Very good, Sir Knight,” she said sweetly. “But he soon discovered that he didn’t like this _new_ daughter. She was never good enough. She could never match up to _Susanna_. He wouldn’t even call her that. Just Susie.”

 

“And this is all some elaborate revenge scheme?”

 

“Oh, some of it. I’ll admit my plan is easier to accomplish now that I have _you_. All that’s left to do is get rid of that pink native, and I think it’ll go off without a hitch.”

 

“The guilt must be terrible,” Meta Knight said loftily.

 

“I don’t feel guilty.”

 

“Then, why do you feel the need to justify your actions? Why do you keep coming back to talk to _me?_  "

 

"She'd have adored you," Susie said. "She always dreamed of meeting someone like you. Someone brave and strong and confident. Someone who really believed in the chivalric code. I remember these things about her. After all, I'm built around her."

 

"I’m disappointed.”

 

“And why are you disappointed?”

 

“Because you’re a lost, young girl with a cold father, and that’s all you’re allowing yourself to be. I know how it feels to never measure up, to crave that approval and affection. And I know what it’s like to be mistreated and ignored and want revenge _so_ desperately that it burns inside you until there’s nothing else. And I’m sure it feels great, knowing that you’re going to get it, but revenge won’t get you what you want. You need to move on, if you're ever going to accomplish anything. You can't devote your life to this."

 

“Susanna was so kind and giving, a perfect, passive creature. A perfect, little damsel-in-distress, waiting on a knight in shining armor. I _take_ what I want. I have power. I’m better than her, and you don’t know anything. I will be perfectly content, once I've taught the old man a lesson.”

 

“Keep telling yourself that, if it helps you sleep at night.”

 

Susie tightened the grip on her clipboard. They’d have him screaming and thrashing soon, but it wasn’t _enough_. There was no punishment great enough to combat such audacity and—and _coolness_. Of course, he’d had time to steel himself and to consider his approach. They'd left him in a holding cell overnight, and he'd probably played through every action, every conversation they might have. His flippancy was just a façade. He was a broken mess inside; _anyone_ would be. But he didn’t show it. She _needed_ to see it.

 

The engineering crew shuffled in, ready to begin. “You really ought to be honored that I’m putting so much effort into this. I stayed up all night with the Mother Computer to create these blueprints,” Susie said, waving the clipboard.

 

Susie flipped her hair and held out the plans to the nearest engineer. The secretary’s gaze never left Meta Knight. “Take it apart,” she said, “And try again.”

 

So they did.

 

* * *

 

 

“Well, I have something special for you today. Have a sneak peek at our latest product, hot off the production line,” she said, clapping enthusiastically.

 

It’d turned out far better than she’d expected. It’d turned out perfectly. No flaws this time. Susie had finally won. Pinky’s eyes widened, filled with worry and longing. He took a few tentative steps forward, leaving a trail of bubbling, purple poison in his wake. “Meta Knight…?”

 

“It’s been completely updated with the newest technology,” she said. “It’s capable of working for twenty-four hours without recharging…”

 

She paused for effect, letting the horror of her statement set in. Waiting for the little one to question how an organic being could go so long without rest. Waiting for the chance to describe—in _excruciating_ detail—just how low Dreamland’s beloved knight had been brought. When Pinky offered nothing more than a heated glare, she continued, forcing the enthusiasm, “And it’s been programmed to be a merciless fighting machine. We call it Mecha Knight+! I hope you like it.”

 

It was your _friend,_ after all.

 

“Have a nice day! Buh-bye!”

 

Pinky narrowed his eyes, as Mecha Knight+ prepared for battle. "I...I have this new power, Meta Knight," the pink thing said, soft and sad. "I really wanted you to see it."

 

That was all the pink thing had time to say. He slid backwards, surfacing on a wave of glistening, purple sludge to avoid the first attack. Susie sat back and waited for her victory. Because there was no way Pinky would win against it. They’d removed the flaws from the old model and vastly improved it. It would all work out so wonderfully. She’d have eliminated that pink native, and once that was done, she’d turn Mecha Knight against her _dear_ , _beloved_ father and steal Star Dream.

 

That would show Haltmann for neglecting her. For creating her and casting her aside as inferior.

 

And it’d show Susanna, that small lingering memory, just how insignificant she was.

 

And it’d show that knight that all its strength was useless, and she’d _won_.

 

Susie watched and waited for the satisfaction to come. It never did.

 

 

 


End file.
